The Greatest (Zoro x Tashigi)

Epilogue

Tashigi POV:

"Well frick frack paddy whack." I grit out, tugging on a rope hard to keep the mainsail boom from swinging free. Gusts of wind slam into the canvas, from a new angle every other second. I pull the rope closer as my feet slide on the slippery logs, blinking out sea spray from my eyelashes.

30 minutes!

"I couldn't get 30 minutes before running into a gale?!" I shout, lungs bursting to be heard in a sea that cannot listen. Another yank- "ARGH-!"

Stitches pop.

I gasp, crumpling,

The jibsail comes loose.

"Not you to-AHH-"

I curl in on myself, balancing on my knees; one hand pressed against reopening wounds, the other flat against the logs.

Dizzy.

"Not now not now not-!" I squeeze my eyes shut, head pounding louder than the thunder booming a bare hundred feet above me.

I grind my teeth, then whip my head up, hair snapping back with the momentum as I glare at the sea-

it looks like hell.

it feels like heaven.

Dark waves crash, taller than any warship, white crests illuminated by blinding lightning, revealing walls of black clouds woven and contoured, kissing the sea with torrents of rain.

My glare melts in the face of power.

Shoulders lower, vision blurred on the edge. My head pounds, nausea and wonder mix

Haomzen.

I grit my teeth and shoot up, dashing for the loose jibsail rope-

"Aha!"

I grip it-

"AAAHAhaha-"

I double over, cheeks puffed as bile rises-

"TASH."

Lightning cracks.

I spin,

a boom hurtles towards m-

a man, behind said hurtling boom, green hai-

.

..

...

nnooooooooooooo.

ha ha!

nooooooo. He wouldn't.

Someone tackles me.

I barf.

They cuss.

Gasping for air, throat stinging, a warm hand on my back then another string of cursing and the warmth is gone. I blink, then crack heavy eyes open. Propped up on elbows, laying stomach down on the logs, clothes soaking in blood, salt water, and puke,

staring at Roronoa Zoro lowering the jib.

I blink again.

The sea roars, the wind blasts into us both, the sky shrieks in freed abandon.

He pulls the last knot tight, then turns to me,

and grins.

a stupid, shit-eating, smug ass grin.

"You're an idiot." he yells, battling the volume of the storm.

I sputter from my spot still lying on the logs.

"h-how did you get here?!" I screech, voice cracking.

"Was napping behind the rice flour."

I stare dumbfounded, and start scrambling to my feet as my stare turns to righteous indignation.

"Why are you here?!"

"Because some lady sailor thought she could master the high seas of the new world after barely recovering from getting gutted by an assassin."

I sputter and huff and sputter and

"How DARE YOU-" I stomp towards him, finger wagging and death in my

The tiny vessel suddenly turns vertical as it climbs a wave taller than some islands.

I scream as I fall, till an arm reaches out and grabs me and I cling to him for dear life cause oh God we're still climbing and frick FRICK WE'RE GONNA FLIP WE'RE GONNA-

He flings me against the mast– I cling to the wood– and throws himself forward, momentum keeping the stern low when he lands and yanks the rope whendidhegettherope? making the mainsail snap and we launch forward over the waves surface, straight for the crest, starting to curl frick it's gonna hit it'sgonnahitwearen'tgonnamakeit-

He leaps off the side of the ship;

pulls on the rope wrapped around his arm, boom swings to bow, he yanks and swings to the mast, throws rope around me, plants feet on bow side, and pulls tight as we

burst through the top of the wave.

I gasp, coughing and sputtering as I hack out seawater. I hear him spitting too and crack bleary eyes open to push off from the mast as we coast down the backside of the wave, it's curve mild and the ocean calming to short choppy waves below; the gale gone.

I look back at him,

~woah~

he wrings out the front of his blue t-shirt, then glances up.

another smirk.

I scowl.

He laughs.

oh,

something.

I spin around and huff, crossing arms as I lean back against the mast; head spinning, thoughts dizzy, nausea spiking.

why is he here?

oh this is bad.

Should I take him back?

No, no time.

Why?

Thank God. I would have died.

I need him.

No not like-! Not him, just, someone, to help, until I'm

healed?

What a joke.

I'll never be enough.

I flick my eyes open; he's standing right in front of me. I look up.

Grey eye, amused but closed off.

Studying me.

I swallow.

-justice?-'you look exactly like my friend who died!'- close-warm-wrath-sexist-lost-quiet-comfort-dissonance-questions-

His lips twitch up.

"Hey pirate."

A/N: well, I'm finally calling it Xb This is not the end of the story, but it is the end of the first draft of the first book. I already have detailed plans for a slight rewrite, and the major plot points for book 2 figured out. So this is not the end, but only the beginning.

Thank you to everyone who has read this story, who has commented their thoughts or encouragements, and been patient with me as I continue on this journey of my first fan fiction. Your support kept me going and I cannot hope to express my full gratitude.

Thank you.

If you're interested, stay on the look out for the rewrite and the sequel! Our favorite pirate and marine duo have set out on the high seas in search of a legend– the question is if and how they will find it, and what adventures they'll run into along the way;)

That's all for now. Please comment or ask questions if there's anything I haven't addressed.

~Deuces!